Model Engine Maker

Supporting => Tooling & Machines => Topic started by: tangler on February 07, 2014, 03:32:41 PM

Title: Collet Box
Post by: tangler on February 07, 2014, 03:32:41 PM

I've just bought myself a set of ER11 collets that will fit in a 1MT chuck for my milling spindles.  I already had a couple of ER11 collets and a chuck with a parallel 16mm shank and an internal JT1.  However the compactness of the 1MT chuck offers major advantages for both milling and drilling.  The chuck and the collets came from 2 different vendors.  There are 13 collets in 0.5mm increments from 1-7mm

(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/rod_sally/er111_zps281d79d9.jpg).

Keeping the collets in their little yellow boxes is not very convenient, yet because of their small size reading the collet size is next to impossible.  So I need to make a box for them.

I have some nice old beech wood salvaged from an old piece of furniture.  Look away now, Jo.  The holes are 27/64" and the chuck recess milled with a normal 4 flute endmill at my highest speed of 2000rpm

(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/rod_sally/er112_zpsa43ba18e.jpg)

The middle row houses the whole numbers and the top row the half sizes.  Numbering the middle row allows me to identify which is which.  The parallel acts as a guide for the number stamps, which I have carefully arranged (and double checked) so that I get the correct stamp and in the correct orientation.  These are my largest stamps at 1/8"

(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/rod_sally/er113_zpsd0763859.jpg)

Filled in with pencil and a quick rub with sandpaper

(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/rod_sally/er114_zpse4729669.jpg)

The lid is glued up from 4 more lengths of beech and some birch ply

(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/rod_sally/er116_zps5e058dca.jpg)

A quick coat of danish oil to keep the worst of the grubby fingerprints at bay, some furniture from the local hardware store and the job's done

(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m180/rod_sally/er117_zpse7d10767.jpg)

Thanks for looking,

Rod

Title: Re: Collet Box
Post by: b.lindsey on February 07, 2014, 03:51:42 PM

Rod, that looks REALLY nice!!!  So much better than the usual plastic molded boxes your get with most tools or even the wooden boxes from offshore that always seem to fall apart after a few openings and closings. You should be very happy with that :)

Bill

Title: Re: Collet Box
Post by: Tennessee Whiskey on February 07, 2014, 07:02:17 PM

Beautiful "collet humidor" Rod. A case like that just makes you feel better reaching for the tool. :cheers:

Whiskey

Title: Re: Collet Box
Post by: Don1966 on February 07, 2014, 07:24:53 PM

That's turned out great Rod, now you have me motivated to do something similar. I like.......... :ThumbsUp:

Don

Title: Re: Collet Box
Post by: tel on February 07, 2014, 08:21:28 PM

Very nice indeed! :ThumbsUp:

Title: Re: Collet Box
Post by: tangler on February 07, 2014, 08:54:19 PM

Why, thank you chaps.  I confess I am disproportionately pleased with what is, after all, a fairly mundane object.

 ;D

cheers,
Rod

Title: Re: Collet Box
Post by: Arbalest on February 07, 2014, 11:16:12 PM

Nice job Rod!

Title: Re: Collet Box
Post by: dalem9 on February 07, 2014, 11:57:35 PM

Rod very nice job , have you started on mine yet . Just kidding  Thanks for showing . Dale

Title: Re: Collet Box
Post by: b.lindsey on February 08, 2014, 01:02:17 AM

Nothing mundane about it Rod. Nice storage for nice tools which they deserve and makes it more pleasureable to use them too. I happen to enjoy working with the brown stuff at times so I might be biased :)

Bill

Title: Re: Collet Box
Post by: Kim on February 08, 2014, 06:04:46 AM

Very nice collet box there, Rod!  Beautiful work!

Much better than my slip-shod collet holder :embarassed:

Your's is really something to be proud of!
Kim

Title: Re: Collet Box
Post by: arnoldb on February 08, 2014, 07:17:58 AM

Nice job Rod  :ThumbsUp:

It definitely helps make things easier to identify the ER11s... 

Kind regards, Arnold